Water wheel



`lune l23, 1925.

E. J. GOODDING WATER WHEEL Filed March 1.

iff/we 555s Patented June 23, `19.25.

UNITED STATES ELMER JOE GOODDING,-OF CAMANCHE, CALIFQR-NIA.

WATER WHEEL. Y Q

Application lrd Merch 1, 1924-. Serial No. 696,230.

To LIZ 11:71am t mag/cmzccrn:

Be it known that I, ELMER J. GooDDiNe, a citizen of the UnitedStates,residing`at Camanche, in the county of Calaveras, State ofrGalifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Waterlllheels, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to water wheels, especially adapted for use'in.small streams.

lrieliy stated, an important object of this invention is to provide awater wheel which may be advantageously employed in streams where thelevel of the water rises and falls at different times of the year.

A further object of the invention is to provide a water wheel havingsimple means whereby the blades on return movement are positioned withinthe drum so that in case the water is flowing over the drum the returnblades will not be engaged by the water.

A further object of the invention is to provide a water wheel of thecharacter specied which is of highlyr simplified co-nstruction, durablein use, and cheap to man* ufacture.

@ther objects and advantages will be ap parent during the course of thefollowing description.

In the accompanyingv drawing, forming a part of this application, and inwhich like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout thesame:

Figure 1 is a perspective of the improved water wheel in use.

Figure 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the same, and fFigure 3- is a sectional view taken at right angles to Figure 2.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown alpreferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates ashaftrotatably carried by the bearing 6 on the upper end of a pluralityof spaced standards 7. Figure 3 illustrates that a plurality of blades 8extend radially from the shaft 5 and are secured thereto by fasteningdevices 9 of any suitable type.

In carrying out the invention the blades 8 are positioned in a drum,generally designated by the numeral 10, and which has a 'peripheral wall11 provided with spaced slots for the passage of the outer portions ofthe blades. Vith reference to Figure 2 it will be observed that theouter portions of the bladespass between rollers 12 extendingtransversely of the drum and designed to reduce friction between theblades and the drum and to permit of the free radial movement of theseveral blades as will be hereinafter fully pointed Out.

The drum is provided with one closed en'd wall 15 having an axiallyarranged stub shaft 16 extended through a bearing 1T on a standard 18,while the opposite end wall has a large central circular opening throughwhich the shaft 5 extends into the drum, and which supports the bladestherein,.the inner end of shaft 5 being spaced from wall l5. The axis ofthe shaft 16 of the drum is offset or in spaced parallel relation to theaxis of the shaft 5 and consequently as the blades move toward theunderside of the drum the outer portions of the same are extendedAthrough the drum and arranged in the path of travel of the water. Thedrum rotates about a fixed axis and the shaft 5 carrying the bladesrotates about a fixed axis, but notwithstanding this, the outer portionsof the blades are gradually moved through the peripheral wall 11 of thedrum so that the saine are presented to the flow ing water in thestream.

As the blades move out of Contact with the water, they are graduallyreturned to the space within the drum and in case the water is flowingover the drum at a time when the water in the stream is high, the returning' blades will not be forced to move against the force of thewater.

In operation, a sprocket wheel or gear 2O is connected to one end of theshaft 5 and the power generated by the wheel is transmitted by asprocket chain, a series of gears, or the like, to a suitable point ofuse.

With reference to the foregoing description, taken in connection withthe accom-- panying drawing, it will be seenV that a water wheelconstructed in accordance with this invention may be economicallyemployed in small streams where the level of the water varies with theseason. Owing to the highly simplified nature of the invention, thewheel will not easily get out of repair and requires practically noattention.

I claim:

A' water wheel assembly comprising a pair of spaced apart standards ofunequal height adapted to be rigidly anchored in a flowing stream,horizontal bearingsrat the upper ends 0f said standards, a cylindricaldrum mounted between Said standards7 said drum having one end WallClosed, a Stub Shaft rigidly associated with said Wall and rotatablymounted in the bearing o'f the longer Standard, the opposite end Wall ofsaid drum having; a relatively large central opening, a second shaftrotatably mounted in the shorter of Said standards, and eX- tendingthrough Said open end Wall into 10 Said drum, the peripheral Wall ofsaid drum provided with transverse slots, a plurality of bladesConnected to said last named shaft extending radially therefrom andadapted 'for passage through Said slots, the axes" of' the two shaftsbeingodset in parallel relation, whereby the blades are reeiproeatedthrough the periphery of the drum by the rotation thereof.

'ELMER J GE GOODDING.

